KATA-KATA for percussion duo was commissioned by Equal Temperament for the 2005 Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Columbus, OH. Kata-kata is the name given to a particular style of Japanese rattle that is used to brighten a child's spirit when they are sad or scared. In the electronic intro of the piece, amidst a dark and unsettling sonic environment, a woman's voice whispers in Japanese: "Now it begins. Don't forget, you don't have to be afraid..." The text was written and spoken by Ms. Toko Shiiki.